David Bourlier, who will be leading operations for the Fort Myers location, said the city offers a different yet exciting challenge for the growing franchisees.

“It's our first store in a major big city,” said Bourlier. “North Port is a huge land city but the population is not actually very dense. In Fort Myers, there are 160,000 people within five miles of the restaurant.”

Despite the increased population and foot traffic, Bourlier remains committed to providing the same Club-Level Experience and quality of service that has already become a hallmark of the Buffalo Wings & Rings brand in Florida and throughout the nation-wide franchise system.

“People come first,” said Bourlier. “When you own a restaurant like Buffalo Wings & Rings, customers are your business, and customer service truly is our passion.”

That passion, coupled with the hard work and focus of the entire Bourlier family, has Buffalo Wings & Rings Chief Development Officer Philip Schram especially excited for what’s to come in Fort Myers and beyond.

“As a family business, the ability to pull multiple talents from different members of the family has helped the Bourlier’s be successful,” said Schram. “They have a very good understanding of the business, they have a strong drive to succeed, and they reinvest their profits back into the business and that's allowed them to expand.”

Indeed, that expansion may not be finished yet, as David Bourlier is already considering Cape Coral or Estero as the next city in their plan to grow throughout the region.

The Bourlier’s growth also comes at a great time for the brand in general as Buffalo Wings & Rings, already with more than 70 locations across the globe, is putting the finishing touches on an exceptional year that will finish with the brand opening 8-10 new restaurants in 2017. According to Schram, further expansion heading into 2018 will include a heavy focus on Florida, with the potential for even more growth in Fort Myers as well.

“There is still ample opportunity in the Fort Myers area - and in the neighboring cities,” said Schram. “Florida is a very strong state for growth, and there is room for other franchisee groups to enter markets in the state and increase the overall brand awareness across Florida. We believe that 4-6 groups could build out areas of the state without overlapping on each other’s' territories.”

While David Bourlier is already thinking ahead to how he and his family can be part of that growth, for the moment the franchisee remains focused on the task at hand: creating the best possible experience for a new wave of Buffalo Wings & Rings fans in Fort Myers.

“We are thrilled to be opening up soon in Fort Myers,” said Bourlier. “We know there is nothing quite like Buffalo Wings & Rings in the city, and can’t wait to introduce the brand to even more people in the great state of Florida.”

As far as Schram is concerned, the Bourlier’s are in a great position to have even more success going forward than they have already encountered in Port Charlotte and North Port. Besides the built-in brand awareness and infrastructure they’ve developed since opening their first restaurant, the Bourlier’s understand the value of being actively involved in the communities that they serve.

“The Bourlier’s understand their markets so well,” concluded Schram. “They understand the dynamic of the area.”